Hunters spend a great deal of time in the air. Aided by technique, specialized gear, and the strange gifts bestowed upon them by the Universe, Hunters are able to achieve heights and absorb impacts that normal humans could only dream of.

Just like the rest of us, however, they don't do well in an uncontrolled free fall.

As Rafferty plummeted toward the earth, she tried to clear her mind, as she'd been taught, and keep her wits about her.

Unfortunately her wits were telling her she was in a lot of trouble.

She reached out for the rock wall, but her fingers only just brushed the surface. There was no way to dig in. If she were closer, Rafferty thought she might have been able to punch hard enough to create her own hand hold. Sure, she would have broken her hand, and possibly unsocketed her shoulder when the rest of her tried to continue falling, but it would have been a start.

If she could push off the wall with her feet, she was reasonably certain she could launch into a controllable jump, and land on the canyon floor in mostly one piece.

Unfortunately, reaching out with her arms had tipped her forward, so the easiest way to do this, bending over backwards and kicking, was out of the question. Her only option was to somersault forward, and kick out on the turn. Rafferty didn't think she was close enough to hit the wall hard with enough force, but she was running out of yardage here, and she didn't have a better idea.

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As she leaned forward to start the somersault, Rafferty saw something underneath her that might be a better idea.

Don't miss.

Rafferty reached out, grabbed, and caught hold of a scraggly, needley tree that had decided to make its home on the side of the canyon wall.

Ok little tree, if you can hold tight there, and support my weight for two tiny seconds, we'll both survive. If not, we're goners. Is that a deal, little tree? Please say it's a deal.

Rafferty swung backwards, smashed her heels together, and swung back towards the wall. She could feel the roots groaning and snapping, the needles biting into her hand.

Rafferty let go of the tree, and kicked. Her feet hit the wall, and she felt the big Blue push propel her up and out.

Thanks little tree! You're the best!

She still had work to do. She flipped over in the air, spreading her limbs out as far as she could, and holding that position as long as she dared, trying to create resistance.

The Blue on the bottom of the boots would cushion the blow, and help her land upright. The chest plate would redistribute a lot of the impact away from her organs and spine.

But this was still going to hurt.

She tucked, and then straightened into a landing position. She threw her arms out to the side, spread her fingers, and braced for impact.

Rafferty landed hard in a cloud of dust, her backside following her feet all the way to the ground. She bounced, and rolled to one side. There was enough pain that she cried out, once, but she thought she was mostly all right.

She didn't hear any more gunshots. Rafferty looked toward the top of the canyon. It was foggy, she couldn't even see the ledge she had been kicked off, but if her friends were using the Blue, it would show through. It wasn't. The fight was definitely over.

She needed to get up there and find out who won.